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Sustainable living
Ever walked into a store wanting to buy the least harmful goods and been bewildered by the trade offs? Should one buy local… naturally grown… organic… fair trade… union made..? Apparently each of these has a claim to sustainability. An item that was all of the above would be rare (in fact, in most cases impossible). So if we value sustainability, is there some guide to which of the above strategies is best, and when? Definition To begin, we should define sustainability. If it exists, what is it? The Wikipedia article on sustainability refers to the definition of sustainable development given in the Brundtland Commission report of 1987: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The Wikipedia article gives a longer definition of sustainability, which, in the end, doesn't help us know what to buy, do, or make any more than the Brundtland definition. So let's try another approach. What we need is a litmus test of sustainability. One such test is The Natural Step. The link gives the background on The Natural Step, but the essence of it is the following: The Natural Step Framework's definition of sustainability includes four system conditions (scientific principles) that lead to a sustainable society. These conditions, that must be met in order to have a sustainable society, are as follows: In a sustainable society, nature is not subject to systematically increasing: #concentrations of substances extracted from the Earth's crust; #concentrations of substances produced by society; #degradation by physical means and, in that society. . . #the ability for humans to meet their needs is not systematically undermined. Now were cookin'! Well, actually, before we start cooking, we have to go back to that store. This time we will know how to buy sustainably. Right? Logically then, the first question must be: "Do I need this item?" We are conditioned to buy things automatically. See something you like; buy it. Perhaps we need to think about living simply. Food Considerations Based on The Natural Step's conditions, we want to minimize materials that are extracted from the earth's crust, or require extensive manufacturing, or destroy ecosystems or impoverish humans. :1) The first thing that comes to mind is that if foods are transported over long distances there will be extensive use of petrochemicals in the form of fuel. These are taken from the earth's crust. If the food could be produced locally, obviously that would be more sustainable. :2) Another consideration is purchasing foods that are produced through unsustainable practices. Many aspects of conventional agriculture are untenable, especially factory farms and any method of farming that destroys ecosystems (most especially the soil biota) or limits biodiversity. As such, they are unsustainable based on the third of The Natural Step's four criteria. :3) The application of inorganic herbicides and pesticides destroys ecosystems and reduces biodiversity. Such toxins have many serious problems for humans. Some of these chemicals accumulate in the biosphere and are linked to persistent health problems, including respiratory illnesses (such as asthma) and cancer. Since they are byproducts of the petrochemical industry, they rank highly on three of The Natural Step's system conditions: they depend on substances extracted from the earth's crust; they are the end products of intensive manufacturing, and they contribute to the destruction of ecosystems. Buying organic food obviously eliminates these concerns. :4) Mass production (at least in the developed world), has brought us cheap plentiful food. While that seems like a good thing, it has conditioned us to look for the lowest price. That may not be such a good thing. Given the economies of scale, it is obviously cheaper to produce food in large factory farms and truck it, or ship it, long distances. While it is cheap to do so, such a process treats environmental factors and health concerns as "externalities. What that means is that environmental problems or health issues are not factored into the "costs." We need to look at the true costs or, the "tripple bottom line." Smaller-scale organic production is thus highly desireable. However, given the extra costs and our tendency to look for the lowest price, can it expand beyond a niche? The risks and problems are serious. Now, rather than dwell on this, let's move on to a more positive vantage point. Awareness of environmental risks is growing and has led to a worldwide growth in organic food production. There is also a growing awareness of the importance of "eating local." Potential solutions Growing one's own or one's communities' own food would be a basic premise. Almost everyone can grow something, whether in a backyard or community garden, a permaculture rooftop plot, or in pots on a balcony. Community Supported Agriculture Community-supported agriculture is a step in the right direction. Beginning in the early 1960's, Germany, Switzerland, and Japan, led the way as food consumers and producers got together and worked out a better, safer and less expensive (economically and ecologically) means of getting wholesome foods produced and distributed more conscientiously. Biodynamic agriculture was developed in Europe around this time. This brought the concept of natually grown food that could be offered in community-supported format. The idea blazed through Europe and into the Americas via the Topanimbur project co-founded by Jan Vander Tuin beginning near Zurich, Switzerland. Vander Tuin (who coined the term "community-supported agriculture" or CSA) then brought the concept of CSA to North America around 1984, joining a large network of folks on the East and West Coasts of both the US and Canada. In Japan the CSA equivalent is called the teikei system. Fair trade There is a growing awareness of the importance of fair trade (as opposed to "free" trade), not only for developing countries, but also in the developed world. An organic farming cooperative in Saskatchewan has recently begun a fair trade initiative for North America and are meeting with organic farmers and cooperatives in Wisconsin to discuss fair trade strategies.